ass one of those tins aft, my good
man."

"Fetch it yerself," retorted Wilson sullenly. "I ain't a-takin' no
orders from no--furriner--you ain't captain o' this ship yet."

The result was that Clayton himself had to get the tin, and then
another angry altercation ensued when one of the sailors accused
Clayton and Monsieur Thuran of conspiring to control the provisions so
that they could have the lion's share.

"Some one should take command of this boat," spoke up Jane Porter,
thoroughly disgusted with the disgraceful wrangling that had marked the
very opening of a forced companionship that might last for many days.
"It is terrible enough to be alone in a frail boat on the Atlantic,
without having the added misery and danger of constant bickering and
brawling among the members of our party. You men should elect a
leader, and then abide by his decisions in all matters. There is
greater need for strict discipline here than there is upon a
well-ordered ship."

She had hoped before she voiced her sentiments that it would not be
necessary for her to enter into the transaction at all, for she
believed that Clayton was amply able to cope with every emergency, but
she had to admit that so far at least he had shown no greater promise
of successfully handling the situation than any of the others, though
he had at least refrained from adding in any way to the unpleasantness,
even going so far as to give up the tin to the sailors when they
objected to its being opened by him.

The girl's words temporarily quieted the men, and finally it was
decided that the two kegs of water and the four tins of food should be
divided into two parts, one-half going forward to the three sailors to
do with as they saw best, and the balance aft to the three passengers.

Thus was the little company divided into two camps, and when the
provisions had been apportioned each immediately set to work to open
and distribute food and water. The sailors were the first to get one
of the tins of "food" open, and their curses of rage and disappointment
caused Clayton to ask what the trouble might be.

"Trouble!" shrieked Spider. "Trouble! It's worse than trouble--it's
death! This---tin is full of coal oil!"

Hastily now Clayton and Monsieur Thuran tore open one of theirs, only
to learn the hideous truth that it also contained, not food, but coal
oil. One after another the four tins on board were opened. And as the
contents of each became known ho